Traditional shipping models generally included a limited number of simple transportation modes and methods to deliver a product to its final destination. However, the traditional shipping models typically dealt with large cargo transported by dedicated carriers. As can be appreciated, tracking a conventional shipment under this model was a fairly simple process of reviewing a shipping list, or inspecting the shipment, after it had reached a particular handoff point or destination.
Recently, the traditional shipping model has been significantly altered to include a number of handoffs and/or transfers between various carriers to meet optimized delivery logistics. In addition, as lean manufacturing methods are increasingly employed in the technology sector, the shipping demands associated with product and/or component inventory has significantly changed. In short, these changes require an enhanced tracking of shipments beyond the traditional model of checking a shipment upon reaching a destination.
Current Asset Tracking Products are heavily burdened with amortized NRE because they are generally sold in relatively low volumes.